The present invention relates to hair dye dispensers and, in particular, it concerns a cartridge for use with such a dispenser and a method of using such a cartridge.
It is known to provide a hair dye dispenser for dispensing dye into the hair of a user. Of particular relevance to the present invention is a hair dye dispenser disclosed in PCT Patent Publication No. WO 98/51183 which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set out in its entirety herein. The dispenser in question will now be described with reference to FIG. 1 which corresponds to FIG. 2 of the aforementioned application. For the sake of clarity, the original numerals will be identified within parentheses. Thus, WO 98/51183 provides a hair dye dispenser (1) for dispensing a fluid hair dye. Dispenser (1) includes a dispensing container (3), formed with a base and a side wall, for containing and dispensing the hair dye. The base is provided with a number of projecting tines (11) and dispensing apertures (15). A piston (17) slides in abutment with the wall of the dispensing container. The dispenser (1) also includes a housing for receiving the dispensing container (3) and an actuation mechanism for displacing the piston (17) towards the base so as to dispense the hair dye through the dispensing apertures (15).
While providing a highly convenient and effective method for applying dye to the hair, the aforementioned device has been found to suffer from certain limitations. Specifically, the device relies upon the user to fill the dispensing container with pre-mixed hair dye and then to position the piston within the container ready for use. This reliance on the user to correctly position and align the piston within the dispensing container has been found to be problematic. Even a relatively small misalignment of the piston may present a risk of seepage or squirting of the dye which could damage clothing or furnishings and which is generally inconvenient. A more extreme misalignment could possibly lead to breakage of the piston or dispensing container.
There is therefore a need for a cartridge for use with a hair dye dispenser which allows the user to fill the cartridge with minimum risk of leakage or misalignment. It would also be highly advantageous to provide a cartridge with a nozzle configuration which would provide convenient, effective distribution for a wide range of dye compositions.
The present invention is a cartridge for use with a hair dye dispenser and a method of using such a cartridge.
According to the teachings of the present invention there is provided, a cartridge for use in a hair dye dispenser, the cartridge comprising: (a) a dispensing container for containing and dispensing the hair dye, the dispensing container having a base and at least one side wall sealingly interconnected with the base so as to define an internal volume of the dispensing container, the base having a lower surface which is formed with a plurality of projecting tines, at least one dispensing aperture being formed through the base; and (b) a piston configured to fit closely in sliding abutment with the at least one side wall so as to be sealingly slidable towards the base, wherein the at least one dispensing aperture is implemented as a dispensing channel along at least one of the projecting tines, the at least one of the projecting tines having an axis and a tip, the dispensing channel including: (i) a central channel extending within the tine parallel to the axis; and (ii) at least one lateral dispensing opening located adjacent to the tip in such a manner as to leave closed a region of the tip adjacent to the axis, the at least one lateral dispensing opening being in fluid connection with the central channel.
According to a further feature of the present invention, the at least one lateral dispensing opening extends to no more than about 8 mm from the tip as measured parallel to the axis.
According to a further feature of the present invention, a part of the at least one lateral dispensing opening closest to the tip lies within about 5 mm from the tip as measured parallel to the axis.
According to a further feature of the present invention, the at least one lateral dispensing opening has a dispensing area, and wherein the central channel has a given effective cross-sectional area adjacent to the at least one lateral dispensing opening, the effective cross-sectional area being at least about equal to the dispensing area.
According to a further feature of the present invention, the at least one lateral dispensing opening is implemented as a pair of lateral dispensing openings located on opposite sides of the tip.
There is also provided according to the teachings of the present invention, a cartridge for use in a hair dye dispenser, the cartridge comprising: (a) a dispensing container for containing and dispensing the hair dye, the dispensing container having a base and at least one side wall sealingly interconnected with the base so as to define an internal volume of the dispensing container, the base having a lower surface which is formed with a plurality of projecting tines, at least one dispensing aperture being formed through the base, the base further including a threaded filling aperture; (b) a threaded sealing element having a complementary threaded form configured to be selectively engagable within and removable from the threaded filling aperture to allow introduction of at least one dye component into the cartridge, the threaded sealing element further including a plurality of projecting tines; and (c) a piston configured to fit closely in sliding abutment with the at least one side wall so as to be sealingly slidable towards the base.
According to a further feature of the present invention, at least one of the projecting tines of the threaded sealing element includes a dispensing channel formed along a major part of a length of the projecting tine.
According to a further feature of the present invention, there is also provided piston alignment features associated with the as least one side wall for defining a starting position of the piston, the filling aperture being configured to facilitate access to the piston so as to allow the piston to be urged manually against the alignment features to assume the starting position.
According to a further feature of the present invention, the piston alignment features are provided by a shield element configured for clip-on engagement with the at least one wall.
According to a further feature of the present invention, the shield element at least partially overlies the piston.
According to a further feature of the present invention, the shield element is substantially annular, having a central opening to allow external application of pressure on the piston and extending around substantially the entirety of the at least one side wall.
According to a further feature of the present invention, the at least one dispensing aperture is implemented as a dispensing channel along one of the projecting tines.
There is also provided according to the teachings of the present invention, a cartridge for use in a hair dye dispenser, the cartridge comprising: (a) a dispensing container for containing and dispensing the hair dye, the dispensing container having a base and at least one side wall sealingly interconnected with the base so as to define an internal volume of the dispensing container, the base having a lower surface which is formed with at least eight projecting tines, each of the tines including a dispensing channel in fluid communication with the internal volume extending along a major part of the tine; and (b) a piston configured to fit closely in sliding abutment with the at least one side wall so as to be sealingly slidable towards the base, wherein the at least eight projecting tines are located such that a majority of the projecting tines lie on a circle and a minority of the projecting tines are displaced from the circle so as to define at least one substantially straight row of the tines.
According to a further feature of the present invention, there is also provided at least one supplementary projecting tines located in a central region within the circle.
According to a further feature of the present invention, the at least one supplementary projecting tine is formed as part of a removable plug removably engagable with the base.
According to a further feature of the present invention, the at least one substantially straight row of the tines is implemented as two substantially straight rows of the tines located symmetrically around the circle.
According to a further feature of the present invention, the at least one wall is substantially cylindrical and is formed with at least one alignment feature configured for facilitating alignment of the cartridge in a predefined orientation in a hair dye dispenser.